The ABC online news late last year published an article whose first par was as follows: The State of New South Wales has agreed to pay Roseanne Beckett $4 million for wrongful imprisonment after prosecutors dropped a legal bid to freeze the payment.
Ms Beckett, from Wollongong, was jailed in 1991 after being convicted of plotting to kill her husband, Barry Catt. She was released 10 years later when new evidence was revealed. The Director of Public Prosecutions had moved to freeze the payout, but on 23 November 2015 withdrew its application in the NSW Supreme Court.
NSW Attorney-General Gabrielle Upton said, "Her case is extraordinary and requires a sensitive response after so long, including 10 years of imprisonment for Ms Beckett. After 26 years this saga must end. This is the right thing to do."
"I am feeling good, but I'll feel better when I have it confirmed in writing," exclaimed Ms Beckett.
Change in tenor
This Government decision represents the beginnings of a western world 'righting wrongs' in so many cases, particularly in the USA where fresh DNA science has revealed that those locked up, in one case for 42 years, didn't do it!
I have written of these things previously over the years. In the past 10 years the media has announced US case after case where such revelations have seen horrible injustices put to right but only after years of incarceration.
How might any Government decision of such magnitude ever give a person's life back in terms of a $ value - or - in cases where the deal for freedom necessitated a signature than such a claim would be impossible.
The decision makers all those years slept in their beds at night, enjoyed the pleasures of life such as career, a marriage, children, enjoyments, nice things and the rest of it – to them it is another piece of paper. There are situations where such people felt powerless to do something to make a change in the system.
What of those who pushed the envelope in the court and went beyond the call of duty to convince the jury this was a villain way too dangerous to be left on the street. What happens to that person? That person walks away to play golf, to a family, to the pleasures of life.
In the mists of time such antics are lost on all except for the person found guilty (yet was not guilty) – yet decades later science proves that person was innocent. Here's a few dollars chum! Our system says - here's a quid, now go away. Sort it out. Buy a fancy car. Get a house. It's over red rover. Pity about your lost years! Pity about your child bearing years lost and dreams dashed.
22 years
For the first time I watched the American law sitcom "Almost Legal" where Kate the negotiator of "such situations" between the Prosecutor's Office and the Defence Attorney does her stuff – and she's good.
Both sides need to respect Kate and her endeavours. Both sides stand on their hind legs with wild outrageous statements from both ends of the scales. So Kate tries to find a way forward, and soon discovers all is not right.
Both sides don't give a fig about the person involved, only what they can each secure for their side. The Prosecutor's office is not prepared to give too large an amount from the City's money for something that occurred 22 years ago.
That is the only number the defence spokesperson can recite – 22 years. On and on it goes. Back and forth. What can the city give 22 years later. What was it like to be locked up for 22 years when not guilty.
It's not the number
What either side has not figured out is that the 22 year factor is almost immaterial. Rather, it was people standing in a court and said things whereby the jury found enough from the musings of a prosecutor to put him away (as it were - for ever) – then found it was all a big mistake and he was out after 22 years.
In the sit-com story, he was unable to cope in his heart and soul to deal with such a scenario. He looked through a window of a restaurant where all his former baseball mates had come to welcome him back – he didn't see people – he saw what he had been unjustly denied – men in good shape with successful careers, wives, children, skylarking, lots of shrieking and pantomime.
This was no welcome back, in his mind, this was a reminder of what had been done to him. Where was the prosecutor? Where were those who gave evidence? Where were the jury members? Where was the judge? 22 years is a long time. Many had retired or deceased. Many had moved interstate. Many would not even remember.
But for him, every detail is burned into his soul. He can recall every word. He can see every eyebrow movement. He can hear every tonal change in language. 22 years is not the number. It's the scenario that took place 22 years ago. Should there not be case for every person involved to stand before him to give an account.
It does not work like this. The State accepts blame for the miscarriage of justice. The State's coffers makes restitution. In effect every tax payer in that State acknowledges the miscarriage and says, through their Government, I am making a contribution. We as a "collective community" accept responsibility. We have no words. We have no comprehension of the injustice. All we have to offer is money.
The Government signs off on the deal that is made between the representatives of the two parties. For this man, there was no one to shout to the heavens the injustice. Instead he took a baseball bat and went to where the injustice took place and did significant property damage. Kate felt the pain.
Easter is only a few weeks off and once again we'll be reminded of the Cross of Calvary and Jesus' suffering and death and the injustice of the system that came against him, in this case the cataclysmic agony of such evil.
The theology of the comprehension of Jesus taking upon Himself the sin of the world includes such injustices as read in this article including all the agony of hurt and pain. The theology of the Cross also includes accountabilities at all levels, which encounters the Psamlists' heartache calling for justice, an accountability the New Testament heralds will come.
We remember Jesus' mysterious haunting words, 'Father forgive them for they know not what they do' and yet, his fearful teaching on what is to come for those who reject His wondrous love and sacrificial salvation.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html